Van driver knew rape happened
A SUBIC Bay investigator testifying at the rape trial against four US marines said the driver of the van in which the crime was supposed to have taken place admitted in his first sworn statement that he knew the Filipina was being raped by one of the servicemen while the others were cheering him on.
Paquito Torres, chief of the investigation section at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said Timoteo Soriano, the driver, admitted on Nov. 2, 2005, that he knew that the woman, identified only as Nicole, was being raped inside the van.
Torres said Soriano told him that Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith was beside the complainant in the van, and that he heard Nicole shouting and the US servicemen cheering “Go, Smith, Go!” as the stereo blared.
“Si Smith at ang babae ay nasa likod at naririnig ko sila na nagtse-cheer ng go, go Smith, go! Na sa tingin ko ay pinagsasamantalahan nito ang babae [Smith and the woman were in the back, and I could hear the others cheer ‘Go, go Smith, go! I thought he was raping the girl],” Torres quoted Soriano as telling him during the investigation.
Soriano also said in his first statement that he could not make out what Nicole was shouting because of the loud music, and that he told Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, one of the coaccused, that he felt nervous about what they were doing.
Torres also related to the court how Soriano had said he saw Nicole being dumped along Waterfront Road near the Alava Pier where the US naval ship was docked.
Torres denied Soriano’s claim that he had been forced into testifying against the marines. He said the driver gave his statement voluntarily in front of witnesses that included US navy investigators Antonio Ramos and Guy Papageorge and Rep. Nitos Magsaysay, inside the SBMA office.
“I never thought Soriano would retract his first statement because from the very beginning, he was very cooperative,” Torres told defense lawyers on cross-examination.
He said it took two hours to take Soriano’s sworn statement.
SBMA evidence custodian Genevieve Puno also testified yesterday about how the evidence in the case —including the used condom found with Nicole—was stored and later turned over to the police.
Defense lawyers asked Puno if Nicole’s denim pants were torn, but the witness said she couldn’t remember. Michael Caber
Paquito Torres, chief of the investigation section at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, said Timoteo Soriano, the driver, admitted on Nov. 2, 2005, that he knew that the woman, identified only as Nicole, was being raped inside the van.
Torres said Soriano told him that Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith was beside the complainant in the van, and that he heard Nicole shouting and the US servicemen cheering “Go, Smith, Go!” as the stereo blared.
“Si Smith at ang babae ay nasa likod at naririnig ko sila na nagtse-cheer ng go, go Smith, go! Na sa tingin ko ay pinagsasamantalahan nito ang babae [Smith and the woman were in the back, and I could hear the others cheer ‘Go, go Smith, go! I thought he was raping the girl],” Torres quoted Soriano as telling him during the investigation.
Soriano also said in his first statement that he could not make out what Nicole was shouting because of the loud music, and that he told Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, one of the coaccused, that he felt nervous about what they were doing.
Torres also related to the court how Soriano had said he saw Nicole being dumped along Waterfront Road near the Alava Pier where the US naval ship was docked.
Torres denied Soriano’s claim that he had been forced into testifying against the marines. He said the driver gave his statement voluntarily in front of witnesses that included US navy investigators Antonio Ramos and Guy Papageorge and Rep. Nitos Magsaysay, inside the SBMA office.
“I never thought Soriano would retract his first statement because from the very beginning, he was very cooperative,” Torres told defense lawyers on cross-examination.
He said it took two hours to take Soriano’s sworn statement.
SBMA evidence custodian Genevieve Puno also testified yesterday about how the evidence in the case —including the used condom found with Nicole—was stored and later turned over to the police.
Defense lawyers asked Puno if Nicole’s denim pants were torn, but the witness said she couldn’t remember. Michael Caber
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